


Someone Has to Save Him, and It Looks Like That Someone Is Me

by pyromanicofthesea



Series: Snorkmaiden Rescued Snufkin [1]
Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: F/M, M/M, Moomin is literally sick with worry, Snorkmaiden don't give a shit, Snorkmaiden is lowkey a badass, Sort of a sickfic but no one gets to see Moomin getting taken care of, cute and soft, this is a sort of redo of The Moomins episode 24
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 17:58:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18722104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyromanicofthesea/pseuds/pyromanicofthesea
Summary: It's an early spring and no sign of Snufkin. It's a few days into spring and no sign of Snufkin. Moomin falls ill and no sign of Snufkin. Snorkmaiden, worried about her friend making himself sick from worry, sets off to find Snufkin in the south. Snufkin is not all that she finds.





	Someone Has to Save Him, and It Looks Like That Someone Is Me

It was an early spring that year, and despite the past, Snufkin had yet to return. On the second day of spring, Moomin caught a nasty cold, and had to stay in bed. As he pined for Snufkin, Snorkmaiden grew ever more concerned that Moomin might never recover.  
It was in those worries, after several days without improvement, that Snorkmaiden became more and more certain that if Snufkin were to return, Moomin would get better. _How romantic,_ Snorkmaiden thought. _If only Moomin would be sick with worry and long for me so greatly if I went away._ But her thoughts halted before she reached a jealous level. She cared deeply for Moomin, and if finding Snufkin would make him better, then she would find Snufkin and convince him to return to Moomin Valley, at least until Moomin was better. As determined as she was, she faced much pushback when she informed Snork that she would be gone a few days.  
“Have you gone completely bananas?” Snork was not taking the news well at all, but Snorkmaiden already had her heart set on what she believed was right.  
“No I haven’t, and you’ll just have to make your own muffins.”  
“There’s more to food than muffins.”  
“I was speaking figuratively,” she replied, becoming fed up with her brother’s insistence. “Anyway, I’m going, dear brother, and nothing you can do or say will stop me. It’s for Moomin.”  
“That’s the sort of hairbrained scheme that could only have been dreamed up by you. What good will it do? You don’t even know where he is.” While Snork brought up a valid point, as Snorkmaiden did not know where Snufkin had gone to, she was more sure about doing this than she was about anything else.  
“It is not, Moomin is pining for Snufkin!” She was trying her best to convince Snork to stop putting up such a fuss, but her brother was more stubborn than she was.  
“Rubbish! Men don’t pine for their friends. Besides, if he isn’t back yet, then he isn’t coming. And if he isn’t gonna come,then what’s the point in looking for him. You won’t find him anyway.”  
“He will come when he knows that Moomin is sick,” Snorkmaiden said after a pause. If there was one thing for certain in life, it was that Snufkin would do almost anything for Moomin, though normally she tried not to think too much on it.  
“Blackmail, just like a sister,” Snork brushed off Snorkmaiden’s argument and her plan, ignoring what she had to say at this point.  
“Something done for love could never be blackmail.”  
“Oh no, you’re not going and that’s final,” Snork said, almost cutting Snorkmaiden off. Snorkmaiden could feel herself becoming discouraged, and when her friends didn’t back her up, she could only look down and sigh as her brother pressed his side of the argument further. But, her mind was already made up, and she knew in her heart that she had to go, even if that meant she was taking on this quest alone.

She ran from her house later that day, already eaten and the strength of her determination overcoming her self-doubt. Snork didn’t think it was a good idea, and didn’t think she could find Snufkin, and maybe he was right. Maybe this would be too much for her, and maybe she shouldn’t go. But that didn’t matter now, because she _had_ to find Snufkin. It was for _Moomin_.  
It was that same troll who caught up to her in the forest heading south, wrapped in a scarf and looking like his fever had yet to break. His cough was giving him away, and Stinky was with him as well.  
“Moomin!” Snorkmaiden said, running up to him. On sight of Stinky, she glared daggers from behind the fringe of her bangs. “Where are you taking him, Stinky, can’t you see he’s not well?”  
“I’m not taking him anywhere, he insisted on going. I just came to look after him.” Snorkmaiden didn’t believe a word the creature said, and she really didn’t have any reason to. She looked to Moomin for confirmation.  
“Is that really true, Moomin?”  
“Yes, I wanted to find Snufkin, so he’d come back,” Moomin said, his clogged sinuses causing his voice to sound stuffy.  
“Well I was going to find him for you. Little My and Sniff were coming too, but they chickened out so I came on my own.” Moomin’s eyes grew wide at that, concerned about Snorkmaiden and forgetting about his own unwell being.  
“What did Snork say about that? Bet he wasn’t happy.”  
“Oh, he made a big fuss, and I just let him.”  
“So you just walked out and came on your own?”  
“Brothers always think they can tell you what to do! Well, I just ignored him. Did you tell your parents where you were?”  
“Uh, well, no.”  
“Did you put him up to this, Stinky?” Snorkmaiden asked, turning back to the creature as her glare returned. “It’s just the sort of thing you’d do.”  
“No I did not!” Stinky said as he took a couple cautious steps back, fearing what Snorkmaiden might do.  
“It’s true, Snorkmaiden,” Moomin said before a coughing fit prevented him from saying any more.  
“Moomin, please go home, you’re not well enough to go on a long travel right now,” Snorkmaiden said, her voice becoming calmer. She really was worried about Moomin’s condition, and it was no doubt that traveling for who knows how long would only cause his illness to worsen.  
“Promise to bring Snufkin back?” Moomin was agreeing after a long pause. Snorkmaiden had sounded so concerned for him, and he didn’t have the strength to put up a good argument right now. He was too sick, and he did miss his comfortable bed.  
“I promise,” Snorkmaiden agreed. She had every intention of bringing Snufkin back, at the very least for the man to tell Moomin goodbye instead of the ‘see you in spring’ he had given before he left. “And don’t tell anyone you saw me go this way! If my brother drags me back home, I won’t be able to search for Snufkin.” Moomin nodded his agreement, and started to walk back towards Moomin House. “And that goes for you too, Stinky. You tell anyone you saw me here, and I’ll make sure Little My makes you sorry.” The glare Snorkmaiden gave the creature as he, too, started walking away had the creature running from the well-mannered woman.  
Snorkmaiden set off for the south, following the path she had seen Snufkin return on so many times before.

It was not long before Snorkmaiden reached the beginnings of the southern forests, where at the end there would be farms of wheat and plainslands. She knew where she was, as the weather was hot and the sun was strong even with the treecover of the forest. The air was thick and sticky, and the further into the south she went, the more Snorkmaiden’s sweat dampened her fur. Without a doubt, she was in the southern forest, and not in Moomin Valley any longer. Though she had only been walking several hours since Moomin had caught up with her, it felt as if she was far away from home. Even in the summertime, Moomin Valley was not so warm. If she didn’t know better, Snorkmaiden would’ve been lead to believe that it was the middle of summer instead of the beginning of spring.  
“Are you a Moomintroll?” A voice from the trees startled Snorkmaiden out of her thoughts enough to make her jump back.  
“Who, me?” she asked, looking around, expecting to see someone else on the path she walked on.  
“Yes, you. Are you a Moomintroll? I’ve always wanted to meet one, and you look just like their description.” Looking up towards where the voice was coming from, Snorkmaiden could see a small squirrel-like creature hanging by its long tail in the tree. It swung gently to and fro on the branch its tail clung to. “Snufkin has told me all about them, and they sound utterly delightful.”  
“You know Snufkin?” Snorkmaiden asked, surprised and excited, hoping this creature would be able to tell her if she was truly going the right way. “What’s your name, little guy?”  
“My friends call me Wiewiur, but I am most certainly a lady,” the squirrel-creature said as she swung. “And of course I know Snufkin, everyone in this forest knows Snufkin. He chases away the Letnismok and protects us from these harsh summers!”  
“What is the Letnismok, Wiewiur?” Snorkmaiden could take a guess, for the name sounded quite frightful, but she couldn’t image Snufkin in a fight. He was confrontational, yes, but he seemed more like a pacifist than anything else.  
“It’s a horrible monster, it brings endless summer, and frightens away the Lady of the Ice so far away that we wouldn’t get a harvest season or a winter if Snufkin didn’t come every season and fight the Letnismok into the depths of its cave,” Wiewiur explained, becoming more and more nervous as she spoke about the beast. “But it is still summer right now, and I fear Snufkin has succumbed to the beast this year.” At that, Snorkmaiden stood a bit taller, holding herself as if she were a brave knight on a royal quest.  
“I won’t let that nasty Letnismok keep Snufkin away from Moomin! I’ll bring back your autumn, Wiewiur, and I’ll save Snufkin too!”  
“You will? Oh, but you’re so small. You’re almost as small as I am. Small folk can’t rescue anyone, they can only run and hide.” Wiewiur sounded distrodened, despite having perked up for a moment during Snorkmaiden’s declaration.  
“Maybe so, but I still have to try. Moomin loves Snufkin, he’s pining for him so much that he has fallen ill! And I love Moomin, and so I just must save Snufkin so that Moomin will get better.” Determination burned in Snorkmaiden’s normally gentle eyes. This determination is what made Wiewiur, against everything her mind told her, believe that Snorkmaiden could really chase away the summer heat.  
“There is an armoury in the village just outside of this forest. You will need protect from the Letnismok’s flaming breath, and a sword to fend it off as well.” Wiewiur began to climb her own tail back up to the branch of the tree. “Best of luck, traveler. Please bring back our harvest season!” The squirrel-like creature scampered off, into the tree where Snorkmaiden could no longer see or hear her. The whole ordeal was very unsettling, but Snorkmaiden continued onwards despite this. She knew she had to be successful in her quest.

The village was small and beautiful, though the land was dusty and dry. The summer sun had been beating down for too long, and it could be seen in the crops as they had begun to wilt without any fully developed fruits or vegetables. It took Snorkmaiden another day to reach the end of the forest, and she reached the village by midday that day. She asked around for the armoury, and kept her temper the best she could as many laughed her off. She did find it though, and the smith running the shop had an indifference that was a blessing at this point.  
“One fireproof shield, and one sword that can slice through tempered scales,” the smith said, ringing up the purchase. “You’re a snork, aren’t you? Your skin should withstand the claws, just mind the fire and your fur.”  
“Thank you very much for your help,” Snorkmaiden replied as she handed over the money for the items. She picked up the sword, feeling the weight in her hand and realizing she didn’t exactly know how to use it. She gripped the sword and held it straight, just like she had seen in books with pictures of knights. With a steadying breath, she strapped the shield to her left arm and the sword sheath across her back. Snorkmaiden set out with the sword in her right hand and determination in her heart.

She learned from the smith that the Lentismok lived in a cave in the mountainside, so that was where she went. She scaled the mountainside little by little, searching for a cave entrance where the rocks were warm and sunbaked. It was near dark when she found the cave entrance, and when she did, she could feel her heart pounding in her throat. This was it. It was time to find Snufkin.  
The cave was warm, warm enough to make Snorkmaiden sweat, and the air was just as sticky as in the jungle. It was stuffy and difficult to breathe in, but Snorkmaiden continued with her sword in one and and her shield on the other arm. A screech filled the air as Snorkmaiden entered what appeared to be the belly of the cave, a grand hall with high stone walls and wide open space inside the mountain.  
“Snorkmaiden, oh am I glad to see you!” The voice was Snufkin, trapped in the coiled tail of a winged wyrm. It was the Lentismok, high on the cave wall, watching Snorkmaiden and her sword.  
“Snufkin! Oh Snufkin, what happened to you?” Snufkin didn’t have the chance to reply, as the Lentismok took in a deep breath and spat a river of fire at Snorkmaiden below it. She raised her shield to hide behind it as Snufkin cried out for her to look out, and when the Lentismok’s flames dispersed, Snorkmaiden held her sword ready to attack. “Unhand him, beast of the summer sun!”  
Snufkin was dropped by the Lentismok in favour of diving down at Snorkmaiden. She dove out of the way, and as she did, she swung her sword to strike the beast as it crashed into the ground. The sword met its mark, and the wound it left had the Lentismok slithering away into the depths of the heated cave.  
“Snorkmaiden,” Snufkin groaned out as he sat up from where he had landed. It had been quite the fall, and he had lost his breath upon impact. Snorkmaiden ran over to him and helped him up, worried that he was hurt.  
“Snufkin, are you alright?”  
“Yes, I’m alright, Snorkmaiden, just a little hungry,” Snufkin replied, giving her a weak but reassuring smile. “I’m you came, but I thought you would still be in hibernation right now.”  
“It’s a week into spring, maybe more by now!” Snorkmaiden was concerned about Snufkin’s loss of time. How long had the summer beast had him captive? “Moomin has seen sick with worry ever since spring began, quite literally. You’ll come back to Moomin Valley with me, won’t you, Snufkin?”  
“Absolutely,” Snufkin replied with a nod of his head and not a hint of hesitation. He could feel his heartbeat pick up at the thought of Moomin missing him so much he fell ill, but he was worried for his friend as well. “Lead the way, Snorkmaiden.”

When the two returned to Moomin Valley, returned to the Moomin House, they were greeted by a distraught Moominmamma who scampered out of the kitchen when she heard the front door creak.  
“Oh thank Groke that you two are alright!” Snufkin sat down on the couch while Snorkmaiden set down the shield, though the sword was still on her back.  
“Sorry to worry you, Moominmamma,” Snufkin said as if this was over a casual event and not fighting a giant monster. “I ran into some trouble coming back up here this year. Snorkmaiden really helped me out.”  
“I’m glad you two are alright,” Moominmamma said, not one for a vicious scolding. “Snorkmaiden, you should go home and let your brother know you’re back. He’s been livid ever since you disappeared.”  
“If it’s alright with you, Moominmamma, I think I’d like to stay here for a little while to make sure that Moomin gets better.” Snorkmaiden bit her cheek after she spoke, nervous about facing Snork while he was still angry with her. Moominmamma thought over it a moment, and nodded her agreement.  
“You two should go let Moomin know Snufkin is back,” was all she had to say on the rest of the matters.

Up in Moomin’s room, Moomin was sleeping rather awfully with his fever. Frightful nightmares plagued him during sleep, and he was too sick to do much when he was awake. The door was just as creaky as the front door, and it was a quiet reminder of why Moomin had a ladder coming from his window.  
“Moomin, I found Snufkin,” Snorkmaiden whispered as she stepped into the room, not wanting to wake Moomin up but still wanting him to know that his friend was alright. Snufkin followed behind Snorkmaiden until he saw the condition Moomin was in. His very undercoat was tinted with splotches of red blush, the worst of it being his cheeks, from the fever and his fur was matted down with sweat. Tufts were sticking up here and there on his head from moving in his unrestful sleep.  
“Oh Moomin,” Snufkin whispered and rushed ahead of Snorkmaiden to Moomin’s bedside. He took Moomin’s paw in his hands, and gave the back of the paw soothing rubs from his thumbs. “I’m sorry I was gone so long, Moomin, but it wouldn’t have been right for me to let the south stay in an endless summer.” Moomin groaned, Snufkin’s touch having awoken him despite the troll not much wanting to open his eyes. “Moomin,” Snufkin whispered a bit louder this time. Moomin’s eyes shot open, and he sat up in bed using all the strength he had left.  
“Snufkin, you’re back!” Moomin threw his arms around Snufkin’s shoulders in a hug, pulling the man close to him and burrowing his face into Snufkin’s neck. “Oh I was so worried, Snufkin, I’m so glad you’ve come back.” Snufkin smiled a small smile, and gave Moomin a peck on the cheek, hoping he was turned enough for Snorkmaiden to not see such an affection. He wasn’t, but Snorkmaiden didn’t mind. Moomin was happier now, and that’s what she really cared about.  
“Snorkmaiden rescued me, you know,” Snufking said after a moment longer. Moomin looked over at Snorkmaiden, who was still standing between Snufkin and the closed bedroom door, and climbed out of bed. He steadied himself for a moment before walking over to her and bumping his snout against her cheek in a quick moomintroll kiss.  
“Thank you for bringing Snufkin back, Snorkmaiden. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Moomin said, and she could feel herself turning pink from that. She looked over at Snufkin, considering for a moment how he felt about the display, but he still wore his small smile. With that, Snorkmaiden began to laugh a little, and it wasn’t long before Moomin and Snufkin were laughing as well.  
And maybe that was just what Moomin needed, a good laugh and the return of his Snufkin, because that night his fever broke, and his appetite had returned by morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay Moomins has been doing wonders for my muse! My apologies to my other works, but this show and these characters have given me so many ideas. I wrote this is a day too! Many more hours than It Goes Something Like Demeter, but still, in a day! I'm tempted to write a sequel to this where Snorkmaiden gets fed up with Moomin and Snufkin's "we're just friends" denial and plots to pair them up. Maybe end in an OT3 moment between the three. That'd be cute. Hmmmmm
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading!  
> Have questions? Thoughts? Just want to talk to the author? I'm [smokedoutcoldstar](https://smokedoutcoldstar.tumblr.com) on Tumblr.  
> Enjoyed the story? Consider [buying me a coffee?](http://ko-fi.com/pyromanic)  
> 


End file.
